Flights at Catania airport in Sicily faced another suspension on Wednesday due to fresh ash emissions from Mount Etna, Europe’s tallest and most active volcano. This led to an extension of airspace restrictions, causing travel disruptions during the peak summer holiday season. The impact of the recent eruption spread beyond Sicily, with neighboring Malta experiencing flight cancellations and significant delays as volcanic ash drifted south over the Mediterranean.
Mount Etna frequently disrupts operations at Catania airport, Sicily’s primary gateway and Italy’s fifth busiest airport in terms of passenger traffic. Recent volcanic activities have significantly affected travelers in the region, with lava flow and smoke visible from the crater during the eruptions on July 5 and 6.
Satellite imagery captured the smoke spreading from Mount Etna during the recent volcanic activity. A drone view also showed lava flowing down a slope during the eruption. Travel disruptions have been ongoing in eastern Sicily since last week, following renewed volcanic activity and changing wind patterns that carried ash across the area. Stranded passengers were seen waiting at the airport terminal after Catania airport’s closure due to the ash cloud from Mount Etna.
While conditions seemed to be improving on Wednesday, Malta International Airport continued to caution passengers about potential disruptions. The extended restrictions at Catania airport have increased pressure on other airports in Sicily. Palermo Mayor Roberto Lagalla mentioned that Palermo’s airport had accommodated 190 flights originally destined for Catania in recent days. Comiso airport, a smaller facility south of Catania, which had also been handling tourist season traffic, resumed full operations after a temporary suspension of flights on Tuesday evening due to ash from Mount Etna.